The novel "Barabbas" by the Swedish Nobel Prize winner Pär Lagerkvist, published in 1950, is a profound exploration of faith and unbelief. On the surface, it tells the story of Barabbas, the thief and murderer whose place Jesus took on the cross. Barabbas is astonished by his unlikely release and follows Jesus to Golgotha, where he witnesses his death. His complex emotions of repulsion and fascination haunt him for the rest of his life.

Although his friends celebrate his freedom, Barabbas cannot fully enjoy it. He is unable to return to his former life and is strangely drawn to the first Christians. He approaches them, hoping to learn more about Jesus' life and teachings. However, he struggles to believe and, in a moment of trial, denies being a Christian to save his life. Later, in a confused attempt to make up for his unbelief, he loses his life.

The life of Barabbas is often seen as a reflection of the modern man in a state of unbelief. While the Christians experience joy and tranquility in the midst of suffering, Barabbas remains troubled and restless. The novel does not simply present a polemic for Christianity but rather depicts Barabbas as unable to believe. Lagerkvist explores the idea of the death of God and how it affects modern man.

Another way to understand the death of God is through the cross and Jesus' cry of forsakenness. This hints at the divided nature of the divine and the separation we experience in our lives. Religion offers the promise of oneness, but the truth is that Christians also experience inner unrest and divisions. Barabbas, like the Christian believers, is invested in the illusion of achieving oneness. A true experience of the death of God is to recognize the not-at-oneness of everything and find satisfaction in the embrace of the divided within ourselves and our neighbors.

My kids have a certain affection for churches. However, not being raised in a religious environment, they have no understanding of any of the iconography. When I try to explain to a six-year-old why there are statues of a bearded man slowly dying on a stick, it really makes me realize what a hideous and morbid idea Christianity seems to be built on. I know that some people find it extremely touching and beautiful, but I struggle to see it from that perspective. Telling people that this man endured agony and then died on their behalf, whether they like it or not, places a heavy burden on them and involves a significant amount of what I assume psychologists would refer to as guilt.

What is truly ingenious about this book is that Pär Lagerkvist has discovered a way to explore this concept that works regardless of whether one believes in the metaphysics. Barabbas, the man acquitted in Jesus's place, is someone for whom the central myth of Christianity is literally true.

As he says in the novel's most famous passage: “They spoke of his having died for them. That might be. But he really had died for Barabbas, no one could deny it!” So, the reactions of Barabbas – relief, disbelief, morbid curiosity, survivor's guilt – become a sort of study in what Christian dogma might imply for the human mind. Barabbas can never quite bring himself to believe in Jesus as a divine figure, but he still says, “I want to believe.” That conflict lies at the heart of the book.

Barabbas is an excellent figure to expand upon since in the source material, he is both crucial and scarcely mentioned. The Bible provides very few details about him, although there is some indication in Luke that he participated in riots in Jerusalem. John, typically the most poetic of the gospels, disappointingly offers only a brief description: “Barabbas was a bandit [λῃστής].” This gives Lagerkvist great freedom to construct a suitably rough past for him and the scope to imagine how this one act of being freed might have influenced the rest of his life.

In some versions of the Biblical text, Barabbas's full name is “Jesus Barabbas” (which would explain Pilate's question to the crowd in Luke – “Who would you have me free, [Jesus] Barabbas or the Jesus that is called Christ?”). This may reflect a later mythological tradition, but even so, it points to a profound sense in which the two are equated. In fact, there are serious Biblical scholars who believe that they are one and the same person. This duality is fully explored in Lagerkvist's story, which shows Barabbas going through similar ordeals and ultimately ending up nailed in the same place. His state of mind and his state of belief at that moment are open to interpretation. It is a very incisive way of looking at the challenges and mysteries of such significant topics as atonement, the crucifixion, and faith – and one that gets to the core of them in a way that theological texts generally do not.

Anyone familiar with the story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion would know who Barabbas was. Pilate, finding no case against Jesus, wanted to release him.

He invoked a Jewish custom during Passover that permitted the release of a prisoner on death row. But the people clamored for the release of Barabbas, a murderer and an insurrectionist, and called for Jesus' crucifixion. Pilate argued for Jesus three times, but the people were insistent. Their shouts grew more violent, and Pilate, being an astute politician, relented.

Vox populi, vox Dei. If Jesus was indeed God, then it was God ordering (or at least allowing) his own crucifixion. This was one of the perplexing thoughts in this book. One can also wonder: maybe Barabbas was Adam all over again? A symbol for humanity? He deserved death for his crimes, but his life was spared because of the man on the cross.

I hoped the fictional post-crucifixion Barabbas would realize that it was not he who caused Jesus' death, but rather that this death saved his life. But Par Lagerkvist didn't go that way. Maybe he thought it wouldn't be true to Barabbas' character, who had no philosophy but only a never-ending perplexed agony.

What happened to Barabbas after he was released? The Bible doesn't say. But from this void came this novel of admirable inventiveness and powerful imagination. You'll never guess where Lagerkvist takes Barabbas until the end, which is as harrowing as the crucifixion of us all would be. And it will make you ask: is it to God that we talk when we pray, or is it just the darkness?

"The horror is this: in the end, it is simply a picture of empty meaningless blackness." (Watchmen, Alan Moore)

The Bible has an extraordinary power that is often overlooked - its ability to inspire fan-fiction. This influence can be traced back to works like Paradise Lost and continues to the present day.

Many writers have been drawn to the rich tapestry of stories, characters, and themes within the Bible. They have taken these elements and reimagined them in their own unique ways, creating new and exciting narratives.

The Bible provides a wealth of inspiration for writers of all genres. It contains tales of love, loss, redemption, and sacrifice that can be adapted and explored in countless ways.

Whether it's a modern retelling of a biblical story or a completely original work that draws on biblical imagery and concepts, the Bible's influence on fan-fiction is undeniable.

Perhaps it's time we recognized and celebrated the Bible's role as a source of inspiration for creative writers. After all, it has the power to spark the imagination and bring new and wonderful stories to life.

Barabbas, the sole individual for whom Jesus literally sacrificed His life.

Barabbas, depicted in the gospels as an insurrectionist and a murderer, was presented before a mob of enraged Jews. Miraculously, he was selected to be set free, while Jesus was condemned to be crucified on a tree. Thus commences a novel filled with antitheses. Barabbas gazes at Jesus on the cross in astonishment; a mysterious light emanates from the crucified man, as if darkness is bound to the redeemed murderer.

This is a profound novel that delves into the themes of faith (or the absence thereof), guilt, and freedom (or the lack thereof).

From some unknown movie. Can you guess which one is Barabbas and which one is Jesus?

A beautiful parable unfolds about a man who constantly endeavors to find faith despite being trapped in an ocean of doubts. Lagervkist, very similar to Platanov, employs defamiliarization to construct a world that is neither entirely mystical nor completely mundane.

The entire story exudes an air of solemn profundity, a quality that occurs so infrequently in fictions that grapple with the issues of faith and doubt.

This marked my first foray into Scandinavian fiction, and I am truly glad that I selected this particular work. It has opened my eyes to a new world of literary exploration and has left a lasting impression on my mind.

The way Lagervkist weaves this tale, with its unique blend of elements, makes it a captivating and thought-provoking read.

I look forward to delving deeper into the works of Scandinavian literature and uncovering more such hidden gems.

Barabbas, according to the Gospel story, is that prisoner - the criminal, the robber - who the Jews demanded be released during the Passover feast instead of Jesus to be crucified.

What happened to Barabbas after that? That unworthy and unrepentant man, what does faith mean to him? He witnessed the crucifixion. He saw it, even the darkness that covered the sky above his head in the middle of the day for a moment. It was a miracle, but it wasn't so for Barabbas. Maybe it was something else. He even met the one who returned from the kingdom of the dead, who was resurrected after dying. He saw him and was certain that that face and those hands had known death before and experienced it. But does Barabbas believe? No, he doesn't. He knew the disciples who knew the other and knew those who believed and yet he didn't see it.

However, Barabbas, he wants to believe. He tries to believe but he can't because he wants to understand first. He struggles with his inner turmoil, caught between the events he has witnessed and his own inability to simply accept and have faith.

What a deceptively deep short book it is!

It is truly steeped in layers of symbolism and irony. The portrayal of Barabbas as a foil to Christ is not only moving but also incredibly insightful and thought-provoking.

I can't help but wish that I had read this as an assignment in college and been required to write an essay on it. That would have been the perfect opportunity to demonstrate some of the profound aspects I have just mentioned. However, at the moment, I simply don't feel up to taking on that task.

Overall, I would rate the book as an A+. But when it comes to my review of the book, I would have to give it an F for now, as I haven't fully explored and analyzed its depths as I would like to.

Perhaps in the future, I will find the motivation and energy to revisit this remarkable work and do it justice in my review.

Barabbas is an excellent short parable that tells the story of a man who is spiritually tormented. He was released when Jesus was crucified and never seemed to get over it.

We all know the basic story of Barabbas, but this book delves deeper into his life. It starts from the moment of Christ's crucifixion, which he witnesses, and follows his life afterward, with a little bit of his past history thrown in.

The writing in this book is truly wonderful. It is so engaging that it is difficult to put down. I was completely captivated by Barabbas' story and his struggle to come to terms with what had happened.

I later found out that this book won the 1951 Nobel Prize for Literature, and it is not a surprise at all. It is a masterful work that explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the human condition. If you are looking for a thought-provoking and beautifully written book, then Barabbas is definitely worth reading.

I read this story not really knowing what I was up against. Although I knew in advance that the protagonist of this story would be Barabbas, the famous biblical thief who is saved instead of Jesus Christ from dying on the cross, I didn't have a very clear idea of what it would be about or how far the writer would go in this account. In that sense, what I found was fascinating: Lagerkvist is able to imagine a whole series of adventures and misfortunes for the one who, when faced with the Son of God, was unable to believe in him.

At this point, it is beautiful to see how the character tries to hold on to religious belief, to the certainty that that special and kind human being, somewhat strange because of his lack of brutality (an idea associated with power and, why not, especially with the son of the deity) brought the possibility of redemption from this brutal and unjust world. On these pages, lepers and believers parade; along with Lazarus and other great secondary biblical characters. But what always matters is humanity: that which is at stake when one feels the world... when one fully observes in its eyes its most desired mirror. That which lies at the bottom of the pupils of God.

Barabbas was indeed a human being. He witnessed the resurrection of Jesus, yet he did not initially believe it. However, in the end, he became a Christian.

He had a complex life. He loved, but he also committed murder. He was forced to slave in a mine. And then, he was forgotten because, in a sense, he never truly existed in the way we might think.

His story is the quintessential human tragedy. It is the tragedy of a legend that somehow becomes faith. We can only imagine the turmoil and confusion that Barabbas must have felt. How could he go from being a skeptic to a believer? What events led to this transformation?

His story serves as a reminder that faith can sometimes emerge from the most unexpected places. It shows us that even the most unlikely of people can find redemption and salvation. And it makes us wonder about the power of belief and the mysteries of the human heart.

It probably would be extremely weird to be the guy that Pontius Pilate saved instead of Jesus.

One can only imagine the confusion and turmoil that would have ensued. This unknown individual would suddenly find himself thrust into the spotlight, with the eyes of the world upon him.

People would be asking questions, wondering why he was chosen and what it all meant. He would have to deal with the expectations and hopes of those who had believed in Jesus and now had their attention diverted to him.

His life would be forever changed, and he would have to figure out how to navigate this new reality. Would he try to live up to the expectations placed upon him, or would he try to distance himself from the whole situation? The possibilities are endless, and it would truly be a strange and unenviable position to be in.